


Have you seen my brother?

by Lady_Zephyrine



Category: Cuphead (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, All of the ex-debtors are basically aunts and uncles, Brotherly Love, Cup and Mug are twins, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Gen, Grandpa Kettle, Kidnapping, No Romance, Post-good ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-25
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-02-06 14:41:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12819750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Zephyrine/pseuds/Lady_Zephyrine
Summary: Cuphead mysteriously goes missing one night. According to King Dice, he may have gone to Merryweather Island with the Devil's new lackey. It's up to Mugman to save his brother, but he can't do this alone!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So...this is the first time I've written something on here that ISN'T Undertale.
> 
> Admittedly, I fell in love with Cuphead as soon as I saw game play of it. It has such a strong Fletcher/Disney vibe to it that it feels nostalgic (and I say they mimic the style PERFECTLY).
> 
> Anyways, here's hoping that I know what I'm doing.

 

It was a windy afternoon, a pair of cup brothers raced along the dirt path as leaves fell into their heads. The elder of the two eventually tackled the younger brother into a pile of leaves. A few moments have past until both brothers had come out laughing.

It had been 4 months since their bet with the devil, 4 months since they fought everyone who owed the devil their soul. It had been four months since they had fought the devil. And since then, not only have they freed themselves, but those who owed their souls to The Devil as well. And boy, did they enjoy their freedom.

The elder sibling, Cuphead, crawled out of the leaves laughing like a hyena. "You should've seen the look on your face, Mugs!"

The younger sibling, Mugman, could barely speak. He was laughing so hard, he was probably wheezing. As giggly as he was, Cuphead crawled over to Mugman and started rubbing his back. "OK, Mugsy. You don't want to pass out again!"

Mugman continued to laugh for a few more seconds before it finally died down, he started leaning against his brother as he kept rubbing circles along his back. They stayed like this for a moment until Cuphead patted his shoulder.

"You OK, Mugs?"

"...Yeah."

"Good!" Cuphead said excitedly. "This time, you're 'it'!"

"Um..." Mugman looked off to the distance, where the sun was starting to set. "Actually, I think I'm gonna help Elder Kettle make dinner, tonight."

"Are you sure about that?" Cuphead asked. Mugman replied with a nod. "Sorry."

"Nah, don't worry about it." Cuphead replied. "I'll meet you back home."

"All right, I'll see ya later!" Mugman practically yelled as he started to run back home. Cuphead hummed to himself as he walked deeper into the forest. He began to pull leaves out of his own head and toss them onto the ground. He's always liked Autumn, since it was always when the Inkwell Isles had most of their festivals. Not to mention all the snow that would come out of it about a month later. Really, the only downside was that there weren't any bugs to hunt. But he didn't mind it all that much. After all, the bugs could wait.

Cuphead pulled a watch out from his back pocket, it was almost 4:42. Technically, he didn't have to go home until 6:00, so perhaps he had enough time to see Hilda today. Hilda always came out during sunset, which was a pain back in Summer. Cuphead literally had to sneak out of his house to talk to her.

As Cuphead continued to walk, he began to hear someone's voice in the distance. It sounded like the voice was calling for help. Cuphead ran as quickly as he could, he followed the voice until he found an old bat lying in the ground. The bat struggled to move, it was almost painful to watch. Cuphead ran to the bat's side and started kneeling. "Are you OK? Are your wings broken?"

"I-" The bat recoiled in pain as he tried to lift his wings, Cuphead offered to give him support. "I could take you to a hospital if you want. It's a long walk, but I'm sure I could carry you over there if you want."

"You're too kind, but I don't think my wing is THAT broken." the bat said casually, "But...there IS one thing that I need from you."

"What is it?" Cuphead asked, curiously. The bat smiled. "All I need...is your soul."

"Wh-what?"

Suddenly, the bat stood up and held its wings in the air. The smile on his face was even wider than before. Before Cuphead could blink, the bat closed his wings over him. It was like being pulled into a black void with no way to escape.

"You're coming with me, boy!"

 

* * *

 

Mugman had just made it home, he ran into the door and placed his scarf on a nearby coat rack. He called out to his grandfather, "Elder Kettle, I'm home!"

"Welcome home, my boy," Elder Kettle said as he peaked out of the kitchen. He looked around confusedly. "I say...what happened to Cuphead?"

"He wanted to stay outside for a little bit longer," Mugman replied. I'll bet he's at Hilda's place, by now."

Elder Kettle sighed, "Well as long as he's back before 6, than I suppose it's fine." He looked at Mugman, "How about you help me chop up some vegetables?"

"Yes, sir." Mugman ran into the kitchen and grabbed a potato, he started to chop it into little pieces. Elder Kettle stood next to him and started chopping another potato.

"So what did you two do while you were out there?"

"We started looking for frogs at first," Mugman replied, "but after a while, it turned into a game of tag."

"Well I hope Cuphead wasn't being too rough on you," Elder Kettle said with worry. Mugman shook his head, "He tackled me once, but that's about it."

Elder Kettle nearly whistled in worry, Mugman began to panic. "But...but we landed in a pile of leaves, so we're fine!"

"Good gosh, don't scare me like that!" Elder Kettle replied. "And I'm hoping that you didn't play to roughly with Cuphead."

"No, sir," Mugman said quietly as he grabbed another potato. He looked back to see if Cuphead had come back. As expected, there was nobody there. But even then, the young Mug couldn't help but worry. He put his straw into his mouth and started drinking out of himself. Maybe when dinner is done, Cuphead will rush in and talk about stars and flying machines.

 

* * *

 

Two hours had passed. Mugman was sitting at the table for about 15 minutes, staring voraciously at the soup in front of him. He was starting to feel faint from hunger, but he didn't want to start eating without Cuphead.

Elder Kettle pulled out a pocket watch from out of nowhere, he was starting to get annoyed. "Bah, where could that lad have gone?"

"Maybe he got lost on the way home?"

"I hope that's not the case," Elder Kettle replied as he put the watch back. He stood up from his chair and grabbed his cane, "Make sure you eat your dinner, all right? I don't want you to starve yourself."

"But what about Cuphead?"

"I'll find him before you know it," Elder Kettle responded positively. "Just make sure you save some soup for him, all right?"

"Yes, sir."

With that said, Elder Kettle made his way to the front door. He grabbed a plaid scarf and a nearby hat before making his way out of the door. Mugman looked down at his food. He didn't want to start eating without Cuphead. But good gosh, was he starving!

He grabbed his spoon and started eating the soup. It was still warm, but it was cool enough to actually be eaten. Knowing Cuphead, he'd probably burn his tongue trying to eat it the moment it was done...Or he'd get himself sick from eating too much. Mugman wished that Cuphead was here, because he was missing out on some good soup.

As soon as he finished eating, Mugman took his bowl and headed back into the kitchen. Surely, there was enough for him to have seconds.

 

* * *

 

A cold wind had blown over Kettle as he stepped outside. This wasn't the first time he's had to go out and look for Cuphead after sunset. He could remember back when Cuphead was a sippy cup, he would bawl his eyes out whenever he had gotten lost. It usually never took too long for Elder Kettle to find him. Of course, Cuphead isn't exactly a sippy cup anymore. But even then, the boy didn't exactly have the best sense of time. And after the gambling incident, Elder Kettle had every right to worry about him.

"Cuphead?" Elder Kettle called out. "Cuphead, where are you!?"

Suddenly, the wind blew even harder than before. Elder Kettle kept moving, despite the harsh winds. Surely, Cuphead had to be out here, somewhere.

In the middle of the forest, Elder Kettle came across what looked like a red scarf and a pair of shoes. It didn't take long to realize that they belonged to Cuphead. At this point, Elder Kettle was filled with dread. He started clutching his chest, "CUPHEAD, PLEASE! I NEED YOU TO COME OUT!"

...There was no response. Elder Kettle called out to Cuphead again. But as expected, there was no response. Quickly, he grabbed Cuphead's shoes and scarf before heading towards Hilda's house. Since she usually came out at night, she should have been able to see Cuphead somewhere...right? Not to mention that everyone else is either sleeping or working at this point.

Elder Kettle made his way to the old observatory...aka Hilda's "house". He patiently knocked on the door, waiting for a response. A few minutes later, a young woman had come out wearing a pilot's jacket. Her face began to light up. "Oh, you must be Cuphead's grandpa!"

"Good evening, Miss Berg." Elder Kettle greeted."I just wanted to come over and ask if you've seen Cuphead anywhere."

Hilda shook her head. "I haven't seen him, why do you ask?"

"Because all I found were his scarf and his shoes," Elder Kettle replied as he showed her said items.Hilda covered her mouth in horror, "Oh my...Do you think he might've gotten kidnapped?"

"I'd hate to admit it, but-"

"Well don't you worry, sir! I'll get the whole island looking for him in no time!"

Before Elder Kettle could react, Hilda inflated herself and started to fly. He wasn't sure if telling the whole island was a good idea. But as long as Cuphead was safe, then that's all that really mattered.

Quickly, Elder Kettle began to head over to The Clip Joint. Perhaps one of the frog brothers might have seen something? Or anyone in that restaurant for that matter? It wasn't likely, but it was all that he could hope for right now.

 

* * *

 

Mugman has been alone for almost two hours now. Whatever soup that had been left uneaten he put into the fridge. Afterwards, he washed all of the dishes (including himself) and had got himself dressed and ready for bed. But he couldn't just go to sleep, now. Not when his grandfather hasn't even come home yet. He grabbed a heavy blanket for himself and sat down in the living room floor. Cuphead could be home any minute now.

...Any minute now.

...Mugman could feel himself dozing off, it was becoming harder for him to keep his eyes open. But he couldn't fall asleep, now! Not when Cuphead would be home, soon.

...

...

It looked like Mugman was losing his fight against sleep. He wished he could use soda or something to keep himself awake (since coffee doesn't have much of an effect on Mugman beyond fueling his super arts). But now it didn't really matter. And who knows? Perhaps when Cuphead came home, he'd probably wake him up and talk about whatever it was that he wanted to talk about. Mugman laid his head against the table, his eyes were barely open. It looked like he had finally lost the will to stay awake.

...

Elder Kettle walked into the house, he placed his hat and his scarf on a nearby coat rack. While neither of the Frog Brothers saw Cuphead, they did offer to find him after their work was done. Not only that, it looked like Cagney and the Root Pack has started looking for Cuphead as well. He hasn't seen Hilda since he talked to her at the observatory, so perhaps she's telling all of the other ex-debtors about the situation.

When Elder Kettle peaked into the living room, he saw that Mugman had already dozed off. Given how long he had been out, Mugman was probably worried sick and wanted to wait for everyone to come home. Elder Kettle dreaded having to tell him what he found out in the woods. But for now, he thought it was better for the boy to have some rest.

Elder Kettle placed Cuphead's shoes against the wall and placed his scarf on the coat rack. Afterwards, he picked Mugman off of the floor and tucked him into the couch. The young mug instinctively curled up against the arm of the chair, Elder Kettle patted him on the head before going into into his own room. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a benefit to having most of the ex-debtors as your friends/family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, here's the second chapter.

 

It was early in the morning, Mugman had awoken like a child on Christmas. Cuphead should be back now, right? Along with Elder Kettle? He was hoping that he wasn't the only one home. When he looked at the coat rack, he could see his brother's scarf, as well as his shoes. He dashed into his own bedroom and expected Cuphead to be sleeping in his own bed. But surprisingly, he wasn't there. He could be sleeping in Elder Kettle's bed, though he hasn't done so since he was a sippy cup. Maybe he was running around collecting bugs? But then why would he leave his shoes inside?

"Cuphead?" Mugman called out, "Where'd you go?"

Mugman jumped as he heard a groan coming from Elder Kettle's room. As expected, the old tea kettle shuffled out of the room. "Is that you, Mugman?"

"...Yes, sir." Mugman said bashfully, "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"That's all right, my boy. You don't need to apologize."

"OK...so where's Cuphead? Is he sleeping in your room?"

Elder Kettle shook his head, a puff of steam came from his spout. "Actually I...couldn't find him."

"Then why's his stuff here" Mugman asked pointing out the shoes and the scarf. Elder Kettle let out a long whistle. "I have no idea where he is, this was all that I could find."

"So he's still lost?" Mugman asked horrified. He began to pace back and forth while clutching his head, "Oh good golly I shouldn't have left him alone-"

"Calm down, Mugman!" Elder Kettle said as he grabbed Mugman's handle. "After I spoke to Hilda, the whole island has been looking for him. I'm sure someone must've found him by now."

"If that's the case, then is it OK if I ask around?"

"Of course you can," Elder Kettle said, giving Mugman a worried look. "But please be careful."

"I will," Mugman replied as he ran back into his bedroom. As soon as he had gotten dressed, he grabbed his scarf and headed out the door. Someone had to have seen Cuphead somewhere, right?

 

* * *

 

All day, Mugman has been looking for Cuphead. He wasn't in the forest, nor was he at Hilda's house. He's talked with the the fish lady and the axe, they haven't seen anything. He's talked with Cagney and Bon Bon. Again, they haven't seen anything. He's talked to the Barber Quartet. Once again, they didn't see anything. No matter who Mugman talked to, nobody had seen Cuphead anywhere. It didn't stop him from looking for Cuphead himself, he'd look under every single nook and cranny until his brother was found.

Eventually, it had reached a point where everyone gathered into the plaza on Inkwell Isle II. Mugman was growing impatient, all he could do was pace around. The only place he HASN'T looked was in Inkwell Hell. But after the gambling incident, Cuphead wouldn't go near that place with a 50-foot-pole (plus he'd imagine that King Dice would kick him out on the spot).

"Are you sure he didn't just leave the island?" asked the clown, Beppi.

"If he did, I would've known about it," replied the mermaid, Cala.

"Then where else could he have gone" asked the flower, Cagney.

How was it that nobody else could have seen him? It was as if Cuphead had disappeared from existence. All Mugman wanted to do was call out to him, and yet it wouldn't do him any good. All he could do was pace, and pace, and pace. It was infuriating.

"So is there some sort of festival I don't know about?"

Mugman jumped as everyone went silent, he could recognize that voice anywhere. He turned his head, he could see a certain die walk in with his hands in his pockets. He looked around curiously. "Y'know...for a festival, I'd expect it to be a little more flashy."

Mugman trembled in rage, did King Dice have something to do with this? Did he want revenge on the brothers? Either way, the young mug was CERTAIN that King Dice had something to do with this. Said die spotted Mugman in the middle of the plaza, he began walking over to him. "Well look who we have here, it's-"

"Don't...don't make another move," Mugman stuttered as he pointed at King Dice. "I...we've beaten you once, we could do it, again!"

"Oh really," King Dice said, chuckling. "Because if I recall, Cupface was the one doing most of the work. You, on the other hand...you didn't even have the GUTS to face me!"

Mugman went silent. It wasn't that he couldn't fight, not at all. But the idea of fighting everyone at the casino was way too overwhelming. At least, that's what he liked to believe.

"Speaking of Cupface, where is he?"

"YOU SHOULD KNOW, YOU WERE THE ONE WHO TOOK HIM!" Mugman yelled furiously.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken," King Dice replied. "If I wanted to kidnap Cupface, then I would've done it after you've beaten The Devil."

"Then WHY did you do it now?"

"I told you it wasn't me," King Dice said stubbornly. "Look, I have a casino to run. Do you really think I'd have time to go after you boys?"

Mugman lowered his gaze, his finger had finally stopped glowing. "If it...If it wasn't you, then who did it?"

"Well..." King Dice placed a hand below his chin, "If you ask me, I think The Devil might've had something to do with it."

"But-But I thought The Devil fled after we beat him," Mugman said in surprise.

"Oh, he fled all right," King Dice replied. "He's gone all the way to Merryweather Island. And knowing him, he's probably got some new lackeys over there."

"I told you he left the island!" Beppi yelled, the crowd began to face his direction. Meanwhile, Mugman was suspicious, he didn't want to believe a word King Dice said...but since Cuphead couldn't be found anywhere on the island, he didn't have much of a choice.

"So you said you DIDN'T kidnap Cuphead?"

"For the last time, YES!" King Dice said in annoyance. "Look...if you don't believe me, I'll let you look through the casino yourself!"

"Um...No thank you." Mugman said quietly. "But if Cuphead's in Merryweather, then...then I guess I'll have to go save him."

"Are you sure?" Cagney said in a worried tone, "Because it would take a whole day for you to get there!"

"But I'm his brother, so I HAVE to save him!" Mugman said with certainty. "Besides...If I'd gone missing, wouldn't Cuphead do the same thing?"

"Now wait just a gosh darn second!" yelled Elder Kettle as he ran into the crowd. "Don't think for one second that I'm letting you go to Merryweather on your own."

"But what choice do I have?" Mugman argued. "I can't just leave Cuphead out there!"

"I know you can't, which is why I'm not letting you go off on your own!" Elder Kettle responded as his finger started to glow. "It's been years since I've fought anyone myself. But I'm sure we could still give The Devil a good wallop!"

"Do you really mean it?" Mugman asked, sounding more hopeful. Elder Kettle nodded in response. "And we've got a lot of packing to do before we go."

Finally, a cheer rang through the crowd as Mugman and Elder Kettle headed back home. Mugman was going to save Cuphead no matter what. And with a retired warrior like Elder Kettle to assist him, there was no way The Devil would stand a chance against them.

"So that mug really thinks he can fight The Devil himself?" King Dice asked himself in amusement. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

 

* * *

 

Shortly after they returned home, Mugman ran to his room and grabbed as many items as he needed. Of course, the only potion he could find was the peashooter. He wondered if it was possible to visit Porkrind before they left. But even if it wasn't possible, he could still make due with what he's got. And besides, Elder Kettle probably has potions of his own that he could use. With that out of the way, Mugman began to pack other items such as candy bars, smoke bombs, and Cuphead's scarf. He was probably freezing, wherever he was.

As soon as Mugman finished packing, he sat on a chair in the kitchen and waited for his grandfather to finish packing. Compared to Mugman, Elder Kettle was taking his time looking for what he needed. From what Mugman could see, his grandfather had grabbed some blankets, a first-aid kit, matches, and some water. Of course, he also packed a couple potions himself, namely the Peashooter and the Roundabout.

Mugman started to kick his legs impatiently, "Elder Kettle, could we please hurry?"

"Patience, my boy!" Elder Kettle responded. "I know you want to save Cuphead, but it's not a good idea to rush in without being prepared. And besides, what if one of us gets hurt?"

"...Good point," Mugman said quietly. He folded his hands together and waited, and waited, and waited until he heard a knock on the door...followed by what sounded like arguing.

"I wanted to be the one who knocked!"

"Well that's too bad!"

"Seriously, you're going to scare the poor thing!"

"Said the one who sinks ships for a living!"

"You take that back!"

"Why? It's true, ain't it?"

As the arguing continued, Mugman made his way over to the door and opened it. He saw Captain Brineybeard and Cala Maria standing in front of him, Cala was wearing what looked like a seal pelt. They stared at Mugman awkwardly, unsure of what to say now.

"So what are you two doing here?" Mugman asked slowly, Brineybeard cleared his throat. "Well-"

"We know you're going to Merryweather," Cala interrupted, "so we thought that we would help you two go over there. Right, Briney?"

"...What the she-beast said," Brineybeard interrupted. "So whaddaya say, lad?"

"I'd say it's a great idea," Mugman replied.

"Good, 'cause we plan on leaving tonight."

"Wh-what?" Mugman asked, confused. "Why so soon?"

"Ye said ye wanted to save Cuphead, didn't ye? It'd be rude to keep him waiting."

"...Right."

"What's going on over there!?" Yelled Elder Kettle as he made his way over to the front door. He stopped in his tracks and took off his lid. "Oh...Excuse me for sounding so rude."

"It's fine," Brineybeard replied. "We were just offering to take ye over to Merryweather tonight."

"Well, what perfect timing!" Elder Kettle said excitedly, "I've just finished packing up. And what about you, Mugman?" Elder Kettle asked looking down at his grandson, "Are you prepared?"

"Er...Yes, sir."

"Are you sure? Because we might not come back for about a week at the most."

"I...yes I'm sure," Mugman said, though his voice suggested otherwise. Elder Kettle gave his grandson a stern look before speaking to Brineybeard. "So, do you want to meet us at the docks?

"Yes, we'll leave as soon as everyone's ready," Brineybeard replied. "Dr. Kahl said he wanted to come with us, so we'll be waitin' for him as well."

"So what are we waiting for, let's go!" Cala said excitedly as she tried to move like a seal. Brineybeard huffed in annoyance and threw her over his shoulder. "We'll be seeing ye shortly!"

As they left, Elder Kettle grabbed his cane and his scarf. He looked down at Mugman. "How about we take a quick walk before we leave? I'm sure we've got a little time on our hands."

"I...I don't see why not," Mugman replied while putting his hands in his pockets. The duo began to walk along the dirt path, which would eventually take them to Inkwell Isle II. For now, he enjoyed the sights of the autumn leaves falling along the path. He couldn't believe that he would be leaving Inkwell Isle, which has been home to him since, well...his whole life. He wasn't sure if he was ready to leave the island. He looked up at Elder Kettle with a curious expression. "Is it OK if I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," Elder Kettle responded, "ask me anything."

"OK...so have you ever been to Merryweather?"

"Of course I have," Elder Kettle replied. "I'll have you know that I used to take your mother over there when she was a child."

"Oh...So do you remember what it's like over there?"

"Well..." Elder Kettle began to think, he started stroking the end of his mustache. "I remember one of the towns is covered in flowers...In fact, I think Cagney used to live there at some point."

"So I'd imagine that there's a lot of plant people over there," Mugman said. "Do they have any dish folk there?"

"I think they do," Elder Kettle responded, "Although I can't remember if they lived ON the mountain or just below it."

"Oh..." Mugman began to rub his arm uncomfortably. "Did you ever have to do any fighting there?"

"...Well there was this bull who tried to ruin our picnic, but that's all that I could think of."

"Huh...What do you think The Devil's doing over there, anyway?"

"Why do you ask? Are you nervous?"

Mugman froze, it was as if he was standing in the middle of a snow storm. Elder Kettle gave his grandson a patient smile, he grabbed onto his grandson's hand and continued walking. "It's not like we'll be leaving Inkwell Isle forever, Mugman."

"I know, but I've never left the isles before. I mean, gosh...what if something bad really happens? What if we can't save Cuphead? What if we can't come back here, again?"

"We'll bring Cuphead home, I'll make sure of it," Elder Kettle replied. "And remember, Mug...you're the one who wanted to go in the first place."

"...Right."

Thinking about it, Mugman didn't really think about what would happen in Merryweather. He originally thought that it wouldn't be any different from going from isle to isle like how it was at home. But despite his fear, he was still determined to save his brother. It was as if his brother's brash nature was finally starting to rub off on him.

 

* * *

 

It was finally time to leave, all of the ex-debtors were gathered on Inkwell Isle III to wish Mugman good-bye. It was hard to think that just a few months ago, these guys wanted him and Cuphead gone. And now, they're all either hugging him or giving him pats on the back. And it wasn't just him, either. Folks were also shaking hands with Brineybeard and Elder Kettle. Cala Maria was already in the ocean, waiting patiently as everyone said their good-byes. Needless to say, it was an emotional moment for everyone.

"You sure you'll be all right out there?" asked Bon Bon with concern, Mugman nodded. "I'm sure we'll be fine...at least I think we will."

"Just don't come near any strange plants, Mugsy!" Cagney warned. "If you ever thought I was bad I'd hate to see what my brethren would do to you!"

"I'll be careful," Mugman replied.

"Hey, Mugboy!"

Mugman turned his head. Surprisingly, King Dice was in the crowd along with his employees. He walked over to Mugman with a wide grin plastered on his face. "If you see The Devil, make sure beat him TWICE as hard as Cupface did before...courtesy of his good-for-nothing lackey!"

"Y-yes, sir." Mugman said quietly.

"Out of the way! Out of the way!" yelled a human with purple hair. He walked up to Brineybeard with a pair of devices in his hand. "I'm sorry for being so late, I had to make some adjustments to my robot."

"What kind of adjustments" Brineybeard asked.

"Well, these devices here should let us contact Inkwell Isle all the way from Merryweather!"

"So it's like a phone?" Elder Kettle asked.

"Something like that," Dr. Kahl replied. "Bah, I'll explain it all later."

"Right," Brineybeard replied as he looked under the docks. "Hey, are ye ready down there?"

"I've been ready since we got here," Cala replied. She pulled out a large fishing pole and hovered it in front of the ship's face. Brineybeard headed onto the ship and yelled "ALL ABOARD!"

Dr. Kahl ran onto the ship first, followed with Elder Kettle and Mugman. The quartet began to face Inkwell one last time before Cala started leading the ship with the fish. Everyone on the island began to wave as they said their last good-byes.

"Stay safe, everyone!"

"Make us proud, you guys!"

"Good luck finding Cuphead!"

"We'll find Cuphead before you know it!" Mugman yelled back as he got further and further away from the island. It was such an odd site, having to watch the isles grow more and more distant. It felt as though he were leaving his whole life behind. It was scary. But in a way, it was also exciting. Maybe this is what it felt like to be a traveler? But as nice as it was to travel, he couldn't forget his primary objective. He could only hope that Cuphead was OK...Well, as OK as one would be around The Devil, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick thing: It might take me a little longer to put up the third chapter, since I'm gonna be stuck with all kinds of college exams. But nonetheless, I'll do my best to update this as soon as possible.
> 
> And another thing. I know the seal pelt thing is more of a selkie-type of thing, but I like to believe that Cala got it from a friend (who happens to be a selkie)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like I got done earlier than expected.
> 
> Here's hoping that my next few exams don't kill me!

 

Cuphead woke up on in a dark room on the cold, hard floor. He couldn't lift his head, the liquid inside of it was frozen. But that shouldn't be possible, Inkwell shouldn't be freezing cold yet!

...Come to think of it, was he even ON Inkwell anymore, all he could remember before blacking out was that bat kidnapping him.

"Well, look who finally decided to wake up," said a familiar voice. Cuphead looked up, it was the bat from before. His grin was wide, wide enough to make the strongest man in the world cry. Cuphead struggled to sit up, but he was too weak to even move his own body.

"What's the matter? Can't move?" asked another familiar voice. This time, another figure walked into view. It was a demon, a certain demon that Cuphead was all too familiar with...The Devil, himself!

"I figured that you cups wouldn't do so well in the cold," mocked The Devil, "So I decided to come to Mt. Merryweather instead."

"Wh-what's going on," Cuphead said almost on the verge of yelling, "I-I thought you left Inkwell Isle after-"

"After you beat me and burned my contracts?" askd the Devil. "That didn't mean that I wasn't planning on my revenge. And besides, I would've let you go if you had given me those contracts in the first place."

"Y-you would've turned us all into slaves!"

"Er...'slave' is a strong word," The Devil replied, "I prefer to think of it as...'forced employment'."

"Doesn't matter," Cuphead said bitterly. "Just let me go before-"

"Before what?" The Devil chuckled, "You can't even move...which is perfect because..." Suddenly, The Devil's pupils disappeared as his hand hovered over Cuphead's body. Cuphead felt a strange force, like his consciousness was being pulled into a dark void. Next thing he knew, as he opened his eyes, he was sitting in the Devil's hand.

"Your soul belongs to me!" The Devil said in triumph. Cuphead was confused for a moment. Suddenly, he could move again. He couldn't breathe, nor could he feel anything...but he could move again. He looked down at his hands, then he looked at the middle of the floor. He could see his own lifeless body still laying there like an inanimate doll. Suddenly, it clicked. He tried to go back into his own body, but The Devil blocked him by shoving him into a jar.

"Do you really want to go back" The Devil teased, "Especially after being frozen like that?"

"Just lemme go already!" Cuphead yelled.

"Your soul is mine, I don't have to listen to a word you say," The Devil replied. "And by the way...where's your sorry excuse of a brother?"

"He's..." Cuphead paused. He didn't really think too much about Mugman. Was he safe back home?

"No matter, I'm sure he'll find his way here eventually," The Devil said grinning. He looked down at the bat and spoke in a more pleasant tone, "Vladimir, I say we should have some fun with him."

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Cuphead yelled as he tackled the glass. He watched helplessly as Vladimir took possession of his body. The bat-turned-teacup took his first breath as he sat up, the frozen liquid in his head didn't phase him at all. At this point, Cuphead started to boil. He banged his fists against the glass in hopes that it'd set him free. "GET OUTTA MY BODY, YA GOOD FOR NOTHIN' CREEP!"

"It's MY body, now!" Vladimir said. "But don't you worry, I'm sure your brother will be happy to join you soon enough."

"NO!" Cuphead screamed, his voice sounding much more desperate. "YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH ME, BUT PLEASE! LEAVE MUGMAN ALONE!"

"You know what, Vladimir?" The Devil said, "Why not invite everyone else to the party? I'm sure Cuphead's little sidekick can handle them all...or he'll cry like the baby he is!"

"Yes sir!" Vladimir said excitedly as Wings sprouted from his back. He engulfed himself in darkness, disappearing into the pitch-black void. At this point, Cuphead didn't know what else he could do. He couldn't fight back in the state he was in, nor could he take back his own body. He curled up at the edge of the jar, hoping that Mugman was OK back on Inkwell Isle. Knowing him, he was probably worried sick. And if Mugman was worried, then Elder Kettle must be just as worried.

He knew that Mugman could be a tough guy if he wanted to be. But without Cuphead to handle tough situations like this, he may as well just stay home.

 

* * *

 

Mugman woke up gasping as he nearly fell out of the hammock, he felt a chill running down his spine. When he looked around, he noticed that he was the only one in the room. He figured that everyone else must've been upstairs in the captain's quarters. Quickly, he grabbed his scarf and made his way to the bow of the ship. It was freezing cold outside, but Mugman figured that he would be fine as long as he didn't stay out for too long.

He looked out into the ocean, which he had always took for granted. To him, the ocean was just a large body of water. So of course, he didn't think that there was anything special about it. But now, he was having a hard time believing just how big it was. The ship had already passed by some smaller islands. Some of them were covered in plant life, others consisted of only rocks. Then there were those that were inhabited by other people. Lobsters, tortoises, living rocks...Many of which would look at the ship with curiosity.

There was a point when Mugman was younger, he would sit behind the house with Cuphead and watch the ships go by as they headed to the third island. Cuphead would always try to call out to them, going as far as to use his straw as a horn of some kind. Mugman had tried doing the same thing, though he couldn't remember if it had worked or not. Regardless, it didn't change the fact that the memory was an amusing one.

"Isn't it a little late for you to be out here?"

Mugman jumped as he heard Cala Maria talking from the bowsprit. She was huddled in her seal pelt as she held the fish in front of the ship.

"Sorry, ma'am," Mugman said politely. "I just needed to come out here for a bit."

"Why? Are you still worried about saving Cuphead?"

"Yeah, but that wasn't why I came out here."

"Oh, was it a bad dream?"

"Kind of?" Mugman replied, unsure. "All I remember was being surrounded by darkness. I couldn't move, and I couldn't breathe." Mugman sighed, he laid his head against therailing. "Y'know...I wonder if that's how Cuphead's feeling right now?"

"Maybe you're feeling what he's feeling right now," Cala replied. "After all, you two ARE pretty close...like two halves of a whole, I'd say."

"That's cause we've known each other our whole lives," Mugman replied. "I know he can be kind of careless, but he's just...so much better than me, you know?"

"Well that can't be true," Cala replied. "After all, wasn't he the one who gambled your souls away in the first place?"

"I never said that he was perfect," Mugman replied as he started leaning against the railing. "But he's so much braver than me. He can put up more of a fight than I ever could, not to mention that HE was the one that beat King Dice and The Devil. But me? I just go along with whatever Cuphead's doing."

"It sounds to me that you might be a little jealous of him."

"...A little bit," Mugman admitted.

"But weren't YOU the one who blew up my head?"

"I..." Mugman went silent. He knew most of the ex-debtors didn't hold anything against him or his brother. Heck, many of them loved to joke about the gambling incident as if it never really happened. But even then, Mugman would always feel guilt bubble up whenever they brought it up.

"Gosh, I'm sorry Mugsy!" Cala said sympathetically. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Don't worry about it," Mugman replied. "And besides...I may not be tough as Cuphead, but I can still try, right?"

"Of course," Cala said as she moved the ship to the left using her fish. "And if Cuphead could beat The Devil himself, I'm sure that you can too."

"...Thank you," Mugman said, smiling faintly.

"Your welcome," Cala said as she began to focus more on the ocean. "Now...Go back to bed, you've got a long day ahead of you tomorrow."

"Yes, ma'am!"

With that, Mugman headed back below decks and climbed back into his hammock. He quietly laid there until he fell back asleep. Cuphead was probably terrified, especially since he was so far away from home. But as long as Mugman kept going, he'd be able to find a way to save his brother.

 

* * *

 

 

In the captain's cabin, Brineybeard and Dr. Kahl were laughing their heads off as if they were having the best time of their lives. They had stayed up drinking rum. Since then, they had been cracking jokes and telling stories for a while.

"...Anyway, that's when *hic" when my robot came back to me with a dozen cats...includ- *hic* -ing Wermen's!"

"Wermen's cat isn't even real!" Brineybeard complained.

"It didn't matter to him, it was still a cat!"

As the duo continued to tell their stories, Elder Kettle sat quietly, looking down at his hands. He felt nervous, he hadn't actually fought anybody since his daughter was born. While he was certain that he could still handle defending himself, he wasn't sure if he could actually put up a fight with anyone.

"Hey, Thomas!"

"What?" Elder Kettle yelped as he jumped in his seat, the two gentlemen were looking at him with shear curiosity.

"Ye *hic* ye used to be a knight," Brineybeard said, "Don't ye have any stories ye'd want to share with us?"

"You wouldn't want to hear any of MY stories," Elder Kettle replied, "They're...a little embarrassing."

"But we've *hic* shared OUR stories," Dr. Kahl said bitterly, "It's only fair that you share one of yours."

"But-"

"Come on, Thomas! Lemme hear 'em!"

"Fine, then!" Elder Kettle replied as steam came out of his nose. "But you won't tell another soul about this!"

The duo nodded, they waited as the old tea kettle began to recall some stories from his youth.

"Let's see...back when I was a lad, I used to pick fights with just about everybody. It didn't matter who they were, so long as they had a sword in their hand."

"Wait..." Dr. Kahl began to process what he had heard, "You did WHAT!?"

"Believe me...I may not look like it, but I used to be just as careless as Cuphead," Elder Kettle said. "One day, I'm fighting this chalice with a spear in her hand. Unlike me, she had been training with that thing long before I started using a sword. Just as we're we done, we found a troll sleeping under a bridge."

"Like *hic* like the one in Rugged Ridge?"

"Exactly," Elder Kettle replied. "And being the fool that I was, I challenged the troll to a fight. But as soon as he stands up, the chalice and I started running like our lives depended on it.  As we're running, I begin to lose my footing and trip over a rock. I thought I was a goner until the chalice came back and dragged me into this hiding place."

"So then what happened?"

"I asked her why she bothered to save me in the first place, she could've left me there to die if she really wanted to. She then tells me that if she did, she wouldn't have been able to live with herself. Not only would she have watched me die, she would've to been the one to tell everyone that I was gone as well. She tells me that it would've been all her fault, even though I was the one who bothered the troll in the first place. Since then, I've strove to do the right thing as much as possible...Even if I've had a few hiccups along the way."

"Hey, as long as ye didn't sell your soul," Brineybeard said, grinning wildly, "than I'd say ye've done pretty good with your life."

"W-well that's awfully kind of you to say," Elder Kettle stuttered.

"And I'm sure that with someone like you around, you could help steer Mugman into the right direction." Dr. Kahl said. Elder Kettle nodded in response. Speaking of Mugman, Elder Kettle stood up from his seat and grabbed his cane. "I'll be right back, you two."

"Don't- *hic* don't take too long," Brineybeard yelled as Elder Kettle left the room. He quietly headed down into the decks, he found that his grandson was curled up under the blanket. Only the top of his head was exposed.

While Mugman wasn't as energetic as Cuphead, he still had his careless moments. In fact, he'd even consider going to Merryweather to be one of his most careless moments yet. Still, he couldn't let his grandson fight The Devil by himself. No matter how nervous he was, his grandsons needed him more than anything right now. Even if he was no longer a knight, Elder Kettle had to stay by Mugman's side no matter what.

He patted his grandson's head before going back upstairs. They had a big day tomorrow, so tonight, they needed to rest.

 

* * *

 

"LAND HO!"

It was finally morning, Mugman groggily raised his head. Whatever strange feeling he had woken up with before was no longer there, though he couldn't tell if he should be thankful or not. He could barely keep his eyes open, his head felt loose enough to fall off. He began to hear foot steps, someone was coming into the decks. It must've been Elder Kettle...And sure enough, it was.

"Mugman, are you awake?" Elder Kettle asked quietly.

"I think so?" Mugman replied, looking at the direction of the stairs.

"Good, because we're finally here."

"We are?"

"Yes, now let's get going!"

Slowly, Mugman crawled out of his hammock and followed Elder Kettle outside. The sun was blinding, but Mugman could see that the ship was coming closer to an island. He could see a village sitting at the edge, and what he could see behind the village was a forest and a mountain. Despite being a single island, Merryweather looked much bigger than Inkwell. There was no way he could save Cuphead from such a massive place. The young Mug jumped as Elder Kettle placed a hand over his shoulder, as if to tell him that everything would be OK. And for all he knew, his grandfather was probably right.

There was no turning back now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus another chapter ends. Plus, headcanons galore!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was a little stuck on what I wanted to happen next, but I think I've got a good chunk of it figured out. 
> 
> Anyways, I'm sorry for the long wait, here's the next chapter.

 

After going through a day's worth of travel, the ship finally settled into the docks for a well-deserved nap. Mugman was watching the sailors of every shape and size walk through the docks. This place looked huge compared to Inkwell, and he hadn't even stepped foot onto the island yet.

"Looks amazing, doesn't it?" Brineybeard asked as he came up to the duo.

"I'll say," Mugman said, "I've never seen so many people before!"

"Well, would you believe me if I told ye I've been to islands much larger than Merryweather?"

"How much larger?"

"As large as the sea itself!"

"Isn't that called a continent?" Cala chimed in, Brineybeard rolled his eyes.

"So what should we do first, Elder Kettle?" Mugman asked as he looked up at his grandfather. Elder Kettle began to think, "Perhaps we should ask about The Devil's whereabouts? After all, I'm sure others may have been affected by his influence in some way or another."

"That's a great idea!" Mugman said before being stopped by Dr. Kahl. "Wait! Before we go, there's something that I need you to test out for me."

"Oh..." Mugman raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"

"Do you see this?" Dr. Kahl asked as he handed the phone-like device to Mugman. "I need you to try talking into it."

Mugman looked at the device with curiosity. Now that he was getting a good look at it, it looked more like a small wooden radio. There was an antenna on top end, a speaker on the front, and a switch on its side. Mugman felt that if he turned it on, it would just play music. Nonetheless, he flipped the switch and started talking into the radio. "Hello?"

Everyone jumped as the sound came from Dr. Kahl's shirt, the scientist let out a hearty chuckle. "Go on, do it again!"

Mugman made a strange face, he looked up at Elder Kettle before looking back at the device. "H-hello?"

Again, the sound came out of Dr. Kahl's shirt. He pulled out an even smaller radio, all it had on it was a switch. "Aren't you impressed? This device would allow you to communicate with us just in case you happen to get lost."

"Ah...I see what you mean," Mugman said as he put the device in his backpack. Dr. Kahl nodded in proudly as he began to step off the ship. Mugman and Elder Kettle began to follow him, along with Brineybeard. Once again, Cala was scooting across the floor like a seal as she tried to keep up with everyone. Brineybeard let out a deep sigh as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, the siren huffed in annoyance.

Mugman was looking around curiously as hundreds of people walked by him, many of which resembling plants he had never seen before. Gosh, if Cuphead were here, he'd probably be running all over the place.

"So...where should we go first?" Mugman asked to no one in particular.

"If I recall, there SHOULD be a pub nearby," Brineybeard replied as he took the lead, "Follow me!"

Mugman and Elder Kettle began to follow the pirate while Cala glared at him bitterly with her head resting on her hand. Meanwhile, Dr. Kahl walked into another direction. Mugman wondered what he was doing, perhaps he was going to talk to someone else? Not that it was a big deal. After all, he could just contact him with the radio whenever he wanted.

The walk to the pub wasn't a long one, it was a simple building with tables set up outside. Before Brineybeard walked in, Cala tugged at his sleeve. "Don't you think it'd be better if Mugsy and Mr. Kettle walked in?"

"Why're ye bringing this up all of a sudden?"

"Well, don't you think it'd be weird if someone walked into a pub with a siren over their shoulder?"

"And talking dishes AREN'T weird?"

"Oh just let them do it!" Cala said bitterly, Brineybeard rolled his eyes. "All right, Thomas. Since this she-beast is so insisted, we'll let ye go on ahead."

"Er...If you say so," Elder Kettle said as he walked into the pub, "Come along, Mugman."

"Yes, sir!" Mugman said obediently as he followed his grandfather inside the pub. From what he could tell, the pub felt warm and cozy, like a log cabin. It was packed with all kinds of people, particularly sailors. Elder Kettle walked over to the bar with Mugman close behind him, the young mug climbed onto the stool and called out to the bartender. "E-excuse me!"

The barkeeper turned his head, he appeared to be a peacock with bright blue feathers. "Hey there, boys." He greeted before looking down at Mugman. "What can I get ya?"

"Um....do you serve root beer floats?"

"Mugman?"

"Oh, right!" Mugman said in a panicked tone. "W-would you happen to know anything about The Devil?"

"I might," the peacock said with a snicker, "but what would a kid like you want with The Devil?"

"We're gonna give him a good ol' wallop!" Mugman said proudly.

"OH, SURE YOU WILL!" The peacock said sarcastically. Mugman huffed in anger as steam came out of his straw. "I'll have you know that my brother kicked his butt back on Inkwell,"

"OH, I'M SURE HE DID!"

"But he really did!"

"And where's your proof?"

"I...GAH!" Mugman yelled as he threw his arms in defeat. He felt Elder Kettle pat his back in an attempt to calm him down. "Don't worry, I'll take care of this."

"So what do YOU have to say, old man?" The peacock asked with a smug expression. Elder Kettle cleared his throat, "You...wouldn't happen to have seen anyone with a cup, have you?"

Instead of laughter like Mugman expected, the peacock began to frown. He brought his wing to his beak as he drifted into thought. "Actually...I DID see a teacup roaming the streets last night. He looked like he was throwing trash around. And from what I've heard, he's been picking fights with other people."

"I see...So what did he look like?"

"He was almost dressed like this mug right here," the peacock said pointing to Mugman, "But more...purple and without shoes."

Mugman's eyes widened. It sounded like the teacup might've been Cuphead, but that couldn't be true...could it? The young Mug spoke quietly, "Um...Are you sure he was wearing purple?"

"I'm pretty sure...Though to be fair, it was pretty dark when I saw him," The peacock said as he walked to the opposite end of the bar and started wiping down one of shot glasses. "Whatever the case, I hope you guys find what you're looking for."

We appreciate your help," Elder Kettle said politely, "Thank you."

The peacock nodded as Elder Kettle began to head outside as, Mugman began to follow him before he heard the peacock speak. "Hey, kid?"

"Yeah?" Mugman asked as he turned his head, the peacock gave him a smug look. "Have fun looking for The Devil!"

Mugman stuck his tongue out at the peacock before heading back outside. He understood that he was on a different island, so of course he couldn't expect everyone to know about what happened on Inkwell. But gosh darn it, there was no reason to be rude about it! As the duo came out of the pub, they saw that Brineybeard was speaking to another human. Besides the two humans, Cala was sitting on a chair drinking what appeared to be cherry soda.

"It's scary," said the human, "I've heard that since The Devil moved here, he's been causing trouble left and right."

Brineybeard chuckled uncomfortably as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well believe us, The Devil almost had our souls back on Inkwell."

"R-REALLY!?" The human asked terrified. "How did you two get out of THAT mess?"

"You probably wouldn't believe this," Cala said as she took another sip of her soda, "But a couple of The Devil's 'agents' burned all of our soul contracts, freeing everyone."

"Ain't that right, Mugsy!" Brineybeard said proudly as everyone's attention turned to Mugman. The mug's face turned red as he looked away. "Y-yeah, but Cuphead did most of the work."

"Well...if you guys want to find where The Devil is now," The human said, "than you'll have to climb the summit of Mt. Merryweather."

"All righty, then," Brineybeard said patting the human on the back. "Take care of yourself!"

"Y-you too," The human said quietly as he made his way to the docks. Cala waved at the human before she looked up at Elder Kettle, "So what did you two find out?"

"That there's a teacup causing trouble around here," Elder Kettle replied.

"But I don't know if it's actually Cuphead or not," Mugman said. "The barkeep told us that he's dressed like me, but he also told us that he wears purple."

"Right...but given that we're going after The Devil, who knows what he's done to Cuphead," Cala replied with a hint of uncertainty in her voice. The whole group had gone silent, who knows what could've happened to Cuphead? This was something that Mugman didn't even want to think about. Suddenly, all tension was relieved as Dr. Kahl ran back to the group with a map in his hand. "Everyone, look! I've got something!"

"Lemme see that," Brineybeard said as he took the map out of the scientist's hands. On the front, it was the map of the town. On the back, however, there was a map of the whole island. He placed the map down, took out a pen, and drew an "X" on the summit. "This is where The Devil is. So if we're gonna get to him, we'll have to get past town, into the fields, past the forest, go through the next town over, and then climb Mt. Merryweather 'til we reach the summit! Only then, will we give that Devil a good beating!"

"And THEN we'll save Cuphead," Mugman said optimistically.

"EXACTLY!" Brineybeard replied.

"But won't it take days for us to get there," Cala asked.

"I'd say it'd take about a week at the very least," Dr. Kahl replied, "and that's just to get from here to the next town!"

"So what's the mountain going to be like?" Mugman asked.

"I can tell you this, it's easier getting down than it is to get up," Elder Kettle replied. "It's even harder when the liquid inside of you freezes."

"Oh gosh," Mugman said quietly, "How are we gonna be able to handle it?"

"We'll worry about it when we get to it," Brineybeard said casually. "For now, let's just worry about getting to the base of the mountain!"

"...OK."

"Great, then let's get this show on the road!" Brineybeard said as he stood up and hoisted Cala onto his shoulder. This time, Cala twisted herself so that she was in a "sitting" position, like a parrot sitting on a pirate's shoulder.

As the group moved on, Mugman began to take notice of the folks around him. From what he could see, the whole atmosphere of the town was festive and colorful. It was as if Inkwell Isle II was a town all on its own rather than an island for rides and games. As he walked, he could see workers carrying ladders, tools, and different banners. He could also see jugglers, magicians, colorful flowers walking by. The flowers' costumes matched their petals perfectly, and from what he could tell, they were mostly roses, petunias, and tulips.

"What's going on?" Mugman asked.

"Looks like they're getting ready for some sort of festival," Kahl replied. Mugman nodded in response, "I guess...but where are the carnations?"

"Aren't carnations are a territorial species?"

"Oh yeah..." Mugman said to himself, remembering as Cagney used to always yell at everyone before the gambling incident. His train of thought was interrupted as he heard someone crying nearby. It sounded like it was coming from the one of the alleys. Mugman had one mission, and his mission was to save Cuphead. And yet...there was no way he could ignore the crying. He tugged at Elder Kettle's scarf, the old tea kettle looked down at Mugman with a puzzled expression. "What's the matter, Mug?"

"Don't you guys hear that?" Mugman asked quietly as everyone stopped walking. The crying continued, Mugman began to follow the sound. As he did, everyone else began to run after him.

"Mugman, wait!" Elder Kettle yelled, but it was too late, everyone had lost Mugman into the maze of alleys. Mugman ran and ran until he found the source of the crying. It was a flower, her face was covered by her pink petals. Unlike the flowers he had just seen earlier, she wasn't wearing a dress. He walked up to the flower and offered his hand. "Are you OK, miss?"

The flower revealed her face, her expression changed from sadness to anger as she kicked Mugman against the wall. The force was enough to knock the wind out of him, he couldn't breathe. The flower was about to swat at him when she paused, she took a good look at his face until she backed away with her hands over her mouth.

"OH-OH MY GOODNESS!" The flower yelled, this time in horror. "A-Are you OK!?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um...Looks like Mugsy made a new friend? I'll be fixing the tags later since, as I've said, I've got a good chunk of the story figured out.
> 
> Also...Merry Christmas!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real quick, I want to say thank you to those who really like my story so far. Progress might slow down a bit (since I'll be getting back into college soon), but again, thank you guys who really like this story.

 

The flower moved a little closer to Mugman, for she was afraid that she had broken him. "I-I'm sorry, I-I thought you were that teacup and-"

"Don't worry," Mugman wheezed, "This ain't...the first time a flower's...knocked me over like this."

"O-Oh my goodness!" The flower said, feeling more guilt well up inside of her. "I'm so, so sorry!"

"I said...not to worry...about it," Mugman wheezed again. The flower sat down in front of him, she stayed silent until Mugman could breathe normally. Finally, she extended her arm. "I'm Patty."

"You can call me Mugman," the young mug said as he shook her hand. Patty gave Mugman a curious look. "But you're not a man."

"Not yet I'm not," Mugman replied. Patty placed a hand under her chin and started to nod. "I...guess you're right."

"MUGMAN!"

Suddenly, Elder Kettle came out from behind one of the buildings, followed by Brineybeard, Cala, and Dr. Kahl. Mugman waved back to the group. "It's OK, she's friendly!"

"Gosh, I hope so!" Cala said quietly. The group began to surround Patty, she looked down at Mugman curiously. "Who are they, your friends?"

Mugman nodded. "Yep, they all came with me to help save my brother."

"Well it's nice to meet all of you," Patty said, smiling. "My name is Patty Petunia."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my dear," Elder Kettle said as he shook Patty's hand. "My name is Thomas Kettle, I'm Mug's grandfather."

"And I'm Dr. Kahl!"

"I'm Cala Maria."

"And I'm Captain Brineybeard. It's nice to meet you, miss!"

"Oh my gosh, I don't think I've meet so many people at once!" Patty said as she covered her face, once more.

"Excuse me," Mugman said butting in. Patty looked down, her hands were still held near her face. "What's wrong, Mugman?"

"Um...Is it OK if I ask about the teacup?"

"Oh, well I was running late for rehearsal, and we needed to practice our dance routine for the festival coming up soon."

"What festival?" Mugman asked.

"The Winter festival, of course," Patty replied. "Where we welcome the upcoming Winter before us flowers hibernate."

"Right...But what about the teacup?" Dr. Kahl asked.

"I was getting to that," Patty said, stubbornly. "Anyways, as I was on my way to get dressed, I ran into this teacup. He looked like a lost child, so I asked him if he needed help."

"Then what happened?" Mugman asked.

"He stole my dress," Patty said bitterly. "I started giving him a good wallop, and I gave him a pretty good chip, too. But...then the teacup told me, very ominously...'you wouldn't want to hurt this child any further, would you? After all, what would his brother think'?"

"I..." Mugman wanted to speak, and yet he couldn't form any words. But now he was sure that the teacup HAD to be Cuphead, somehow.

"A-anyway," Patty continued, "That teacup looked an awful lot like you, so that's why attacked."

"So which way did he go?"

"Pardon?" Patty asked in suprise.

"I wanna try and get your dress back," Mugman said with a slightly determined look on his face.

"I...He went that way the last time I saw him," Patty stammered as she pointed east. "But he could be anywhere at this point!"

"...I suppose you're right," Mugman said quietly. He wasn't sure how he was going to find Cuphead, but he couldn't just abandon this poor lady either.

"Well it wouldn't hurt to try, would it?" Dr. Kahl asked as he stood next to Mugman. "After all, I'm sure that fiend couldn't have gone too far."

"In that case, I'll stay here just in case that fiend decides to come back," Elder Kettle replied as he stood next to Patty. He placed both hands on his cane like a knight standing to protect royalty.

"We'll go back to the docks to see if he's gone back there," Brineybeard said as he ran to the opposite direction, Cala stared at him with annoyance. Elder Kettle raised an eyebrow, "Couldn't he have just given you the map before he left?"

"Well, we could still use this," Mugman said as he pulled out his radio and gave it to his grandfather. "Kahl's already got one on him, so I don't need it right now."

Elder Kettle gave the radio a curious glance before placing it down next to himself. "Very well then, let us know if you find anything."

"Good luck," Patty said as Mugman and Dr. Kahl headed further into the alley. She gave Elder Kettle a curious look, "So...How old is Mugman, exactly?"

"He just turned 11 not that long ago," Elder Kettle responded, "Why do you ask?"

"Well...because I've never seen a kid act this...'grown up', before." Patty said as she began to rub her arm. "I mean, I'd imagine that any other kid would've left me here without thinking. So why would he want to help me?"

"Well,  because that's how he is," Elder Kettle replied. "And I'm certain that if Cuphead were here, he'd want want to help you, too."

"...Cuphead?"

"Mugman's brother," Elder Kettle said.  "He's more of a trouble-maker, but his heart's usually in the right place."

"I see...so what happened to Cuphead, exactly?"

"Well...He's been taken away by The Devil, you see."

"But...why would he want to do something so...risky?"

"It's because Mugman and Cuphead have already fought The Devil himself," Elder Kettle said proudly. Patty's eyes widened. "But...How?"

Elder Kettle let out a hearty chuckle as a puff of steam came out of his spout. "You see, it all happened back in July..."

 

* * *

 

Mugman shivered as he felt a chill running down his spine. Compered to the nice, happy town he had seen before, this place was mostly covered in trash. He wasn't too worried about the rats, but he WAS worried that a criminal could come out and shatter him at any moment...Or worse, Cuphead might show up and attack him like he attacked Patty. It didn't help that he could hear his grandfather speaking to Patty from Dr. Kahl's radio, who thankfully turned it off before he could hear anymore of the conversation.

"You know, Mugman," Dr. Kahl said, "I think it's nice that you want to help that poor flower get her dress back, but why are you so nervous?"

"...Because...Because that's how I usually am," Mugman said in embarrassment. Dr. Kahl nodded in response. "I see...would you happen to have anxiety by any chance?"

"What?"

"...Never mind," Dr. Kahl replied. "But if it makes you feel any better, I can get very anxious from time to time as well."

"But how?" Mugman asked, "You've got a lab, a robot, and...just about everything you need at the junk yard."

"True," Dr. Kahl replied. "But let me put it this way. Imagine you've spent a lot of time creating something, something that you absolutely love to bits."

"Like a root beer float?"

"Even better," Dr. Kahl said. "Imagine wanting to create a machine, but not just any machine. A machine with the ability to think, to feel, do you understand where I'm going with this?"

"Oooh" Mugman said nodding his head. "You're talking about the robot, aren't you?"

"Exactly," Dr. Kahl said excitedly before his tone shifted. "Although...At first my robot couldn't quite think for himself. He was just a lifeless giant, that's when I knew that all he needed was a soul."

"So how did you give him one?"

"Simple, I asked The Devil to lend me one."

"Oh...No wonder The Devil wanted us to go after him," Mugman said bitterly as he remembered nearly being crushed by the robot's hands.

"Well, The Devil told me that I'd have to give up his soul after a year, but I didn't care. As soon as My robot had formed a consciousness of his own, I was ecstatic. But of course, a year had gone past, and The Devil wanted me to hand over his soul. But at that point, I had grown too attached to my robot. So, I fled and started living in the junk yard."

"Gosh, that must've been tough!"

"Of course it was," Dr. Kahl replied. "After that encounter, I feared that The Devil would come after us. And so, I continued to make adjustments to my robot just in case that day would come. But even after we've been freed, I still can't help but worry about him each and every day."

"It makes sense," Mugman said. "I know that since that bet, I've been worried about what kind of things Cuphead might get himself into. Thank goodness he hasn't gone near the casino since then, but he still worries me sometimes."

"You mean like how you are right now?"

"What do you-"

The duo stopped as they heard a creaking sound. They looked up, they saw a wooden balcony was about to fall. As it fell, Mugman quickly grabbed Dr. Kahl's wrist and dashed out of the way, disappearing in the process. "LOOK OUT!"

The balcony came down and broke into a million pieces, Mugman and Dr. Kahl were standing a few feet from it.

"Are you OK, Mugman" Dr. Kahl said quietly, trying to hide the fear in his voice. Mugman nodded in response. His breath was shallow, he was shaking violently. Surely, the balcony falling wasn't just a coincidence! Mugman looked around to find where the culprit was, but nobody else was around.

"Let...let's just go," Mugman said with a deep breath. He began to move forward with Dr. Kahl following closely behind him. The scientist gave one last look at where the balcony once stood. For a moment, he could've sworn that he saw a pair of bat wings on the roof.

 

* * *

 

Cuphead was still curled up in the jar, he hasn't moved since Vladimir had stolen his body. He could tackle the glass all he wanted, and he could yell at the Devil as much as he wanted, but he knew that nothing would happen. The jar Cuphead was in was sitting on a table next to The Devil's throne. The Devil himself looked absolutely bored, he tapped his claws against the arm of the throne while looking down at Cuphead every once in a while. Neither of them would say anything, although The Devil would occasionally speak to any of the demons that walked by. Aside from that, everything would stay uncomfortably silent for long periods of time. It was starting to drive The Devil crazy.

"You know..." The Devil finally spoke, "You were a lot more fun when you were out there collecting those soul contracts."

Cuphead didn't say anything, he just curled up even more into himself.

"So...do you think Vladimir's gotten to your brother, yet? He probably has, by now."

"...It's not like I can do anything, anyway!" Cuphead said bitterly.

"Yeesh! You're even more boring than I thought!" The Devil exclaimed. Suddenly, he had an idea. He reached from under his throne and pulled out a crystal ball. Afterwards, he moved Cuphead's jar to make room for it. "Here, why don't we look for your brother right now?"

Cuphead didn't want to look, he didn't want to see his brother shattered into a million pieces. And yet, curiosity got the better of him. He sat up quickly as he saw Mugman walking through some sort of alleyway. He looked like he was talking to someone...was that Dr. Kahl?

"Would you look at that...the mug's still alive," The Devil said, impressed. Cuphead was shaking, he wanted to yell at Mugman. He wanted to tell his brother to go home and forget about him...and yet, he was beginning to feel hopeful. He came closer to the crystal ball and watched as Mugman and Dr. Kahl continued to move...Only to move back when the balcony fell and nearly crushed them. The Devil was certainly amused, but Cuphead wanted to keep watching. He saw how scared Mugman and Dr. Kahl were, and yet they kept going. Cuphead kept watching. he could see Vladimir's shadow (or rather HIS shadow) on the wall. Vladimir extended his wings and started flying ahead of Mugman. Whatever was going on, it certainly wasn't good.

 

* * *

 

Mugman has been walking for about and hour now. His feet were starting to feel sore, and he was getting weak from hunger...but he didn't want to stop and take a break, as he was worried something else might try to kill him.

"Are you all right?" Dr. Kahl asked, "You're looking a little sluggish."

"I'm fine," Mugman replied.

"Are you sure? Because we could stop whenever you'd like."

"Don't worry," Mugman said, "I'll be fine!"

Mugman wasn't willing to take any chances. As he continued to walk, he grabbed the straw from his head and started to drink the liquid inside. He always liked to believe that the liquid could give him the energy he needed to keep going. And for the most part, it always did.

"Hey, Mugman?"

"Yeah?"

"I've always wondered," Dr. Kahl said with a curious look on his face, "What exactly is that liquid inside your head?"

"The essence of my very soul," Mugman said as if he were joking. Dr Kahl raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure that isn't just milk?"

"Obviously, you haven't met a lot of dish folk," Mugman teased.

"But if that's the essence of your soul, then how can you keep drinking it?"

"'cause I never run out," Mugman replied. This only brought up even more questions. But before Dr. Kahl could ask again, the duo spotted someone hunched over against the wall. He was a teacup...a familiar-looking teacup. His purple clothes were tattered, there was a scratch on his left side...Well, more like a missing chip. The bendy straw in his head looked like it had a bite taken out of it. Mugman walked slowly, he pointed at the teacup in case he tried anything. When the teacup looked up, he had a wide grin on his face.

"...Brother? Is that you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy...
> 
> Anyways, Thanks again for liking my story.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for not being able to update sooner. I've been busy with school work, leaving me with less time to write anything.
> 
> But regardless, here's yet another one.

 

Mugman gave the teacup an odd look, he tilted his head in confusion. "Cuphead?"

"Y-yes...It is I, Cuphead!" The teacup said as if trying not to look suspicious. Mugman looked back at Dr. Kahl, whose only response to this situation was a shrug.

"Listen to me, brother. That flower you just met back there? SHE was the one trying to beat ME up."

"OK, Cuphead," said Mugman, playing along.

"But how did you know that we talked to her in the first place?" Dr. Kahl asked.

"Because...we both ran into her?" The teacup said, smiling sheepishly. Dr. Kahl nodded. "That may be true, but we met her after you did."

"Not to mention that we didn't even see you back there," Mugman said, crossing his arms. "Unless you were somehow spying on us this whole time."

"But I really AM Cuphead," the teacup said adamantly. Mugman shook his head. He shot the teacup, who moved before the bullet could hit him.

"You can stop pretending now, mister," Mugman said sternly. "Now tell me where the real Cuphead is before I shoot ya again!"

Said teacup began to snicker as he walked over to Mugman and poked his nose. "I would be careful with that if I were you...After all, what would your brother think if he knew that you destroyed his body?"

"What are you talking about?" Mugman asked in disbelief.

"Didn't you know? The Devil already has Cuphead's soul," the imposter replied, "And he's letting me use his body for free!"

"You STOLE his body!?" Mugman yelled as he backed away towards Dr. Kahl, making his disgust clear. "You're sick, Mister!"

"Please, call me Vladimir," said the teacup. "And as for you, there's something I feel we should talk about...privately!"

"But-"

Before Mugman could protest, Vladimir extended his wings and enclosed them over Mugman.

"NO!" Dr. Kahl yelled, but it was too late. All that was left of Mugman were his shoes and his scarf. Terrified, Dr. Kahl pulled out his radio and turned it on. "T-T...THOMAS! THOMAS, CAN YOU HEAR ME!?!"

 

* * *

 

As soon as Mugman could see again, the first thing he noticed was how cold the room was. It was a pitch-black room except for the snow beneath his feet. And of course, he didn't want to stay in a place like this, as it felt like the liquid in his head could freeze within minutes. Where was he, anyway?

The young mug jumped as he heard footsteps coming from the darkness. He wanted to run, but he couldn't. His legs felt like they were frozen in place, he stood helplessly as Vladimir walked up to him. The imposter grinned like a madman, Mugman covered his chest as if he were about to get stabbed. "P-please don't take my soul,"

"Or what? You'll shoot me with that useless peashooter?" Vladimir said mockingly. "I COULD take your soul if I wanted to...but what fun would it be if I handed you over to The Devil right now?"

"Th-then what do you want from me?" Mugman asked quietly.

"Oh, nothing," Vladimir said, "It's more fun parading around in your brother's body. Everyone expects us bats to cause mischief, and yet nobody suspects a thing when they see this little teacup walking by. It's a shame that your brother has to stay with The Devil for all eternity...unless...?"

"Un-unless what?" Mugman asked, as if he were forced to speak.

"Unless you can somehow beat The Devil, then I won't be giving your brother his body back. And it's not like he would want it back, anyway," Vladimir said tapping the ice in his head. "The poor boy would never be able to wake up again!"

"S-so what do you want with me?"

"I already told you, I want to see if you can actually beat The Devil."

"But i-isn't he your boss?"

"He is, and I'm sure he'd love to pound you into dust...But if you can somehow find a way to beat him, then I promise I'll give you your brother back."

"OK...but what's the catch?"

"Well I'm glad you asked, my boy," Vladimir said happily. "First of all, we've got a few 'friends' who are more than willing to play with you, though I see you've already met that flower..."

"A-and what about her?"

"Oh, nothing!" Vladimir replied. "I'm sure you'll find out soon enough...and speaking of friends..."

Mugman's eyes widened in fear, he knew exactly what Vladimir was going to talk about.

"If you fail to defeat ANYONE I send your way, all of your friend's souls will be ours, too. Do we have a deal?"

"But-"

"Good," Vladimir said as his wings expanded once more, "Don't disappoint me!"

The wings engulfed Mugman once more, his senses began to fade. He had fallen into the void once more...

 

* * *

 

As everyone else continued to search for the dress, Elder Kettle continued to chat with Patty. He had talked about some of the residents in Inkwell and how much closer everyone had become after their souls had been set free.

"So...Why couldn't anyone try to burn those contracts in the first place?"

"Because only Hell Fire can burn them," Elder Kettle replied. "Believe me, I've seen my neighbors try to destroy theirs. Even our more destructive neighbors couldn't do anything."

"I see..." Patty said quietly, "If only we had Hell Fire on THIS island."

"And why is that, my dear?" Elder Kettle asked with concern.

"Well-"

"WE'VE GOT THE DRESS!" Brineybeard yelled as he reunited with the duo. Cala was still sitting on his shoulder. This time, however, the petal-like skirt could be seen under her seal pelt, her tail fins were barely visible.

"Where did you find it?" Patty asked.

"And HOW did you find it?" Elder Kettle asked, perplexed.

"We just found it sitting in a trash can," Cala replied.

"Would ye believe me if I told ye it smelled of rotten fish to begin with?" Brineybeard asked with a wide grin.

"Oh, like you're one to talk!" Cala replied.

"That doesn't matter right now!" Patty said happily, "I'm just happy that I got my dress back."

"T-t...THOMAS! THOMAS, CAN YOU HEAR ME!?!"

"OH GOODNESS!" Elder Kettle yelled in surprise, he picked the radio up from the ground. "Please don't scare me like that!"

"BUT MUGMAN, HE-...A VAMPIRE TOOK HIM, OR WAS HE A BODY SNATCHER!?"

"What are you saying, Dr. Kahl?" Elder Kettle asked in distress.

"I'm telling you that Mugman is gone!"

"I wouldn't be so sure..." Cala said, looking up at the sky. Everyone had started doing the same thing. They watched as what appeared to be Cuphead with wings hovered over them. He was carrying Mugman's body in his arms. As if on purpose, he dropped Mugman and flew away, Before he could hit the ground, Patty was able to catch him in her arms.

"Is he all right?" Elder Kettle asked with concern.

"He looks OK to me," Patty said as she handed Mugman over to Elder Kettle. Besides missing his scarf and his boots, the young mug looked perfectly fine. Brineybeard grabbed the radio from Elder Kettle's hand. "So did this vampire look anything like Cuphead?"

"YOU SAW HIM!?"

"Um...How about we go back to my place for now?" Patty offered. "I feel like we'd be safer over there then we are out here."

"Are you sure about this?" Elder Kettle asked, "Because we don't want to intrude on you or anything."

"Nonsense," Patty said waving one of her leaves. "You found my dress, so it's the least I can do to pay you back."

"Ye hear that, Dr. Kahl?" Brineybeard boomed, "We're gonna be staying with Patty for the night!"

"OK," Dr. Kahl replied, "I'll try to find my way back there."

The group had gone silent for a few seconds before Cala finally spoke. "...Should we go look for him?"

"We probably should," Elder Kettle replied. Awkwardly, the group made their way through the alley in search of Dr. Kahl. Surely, he couldn't be too far off.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Vladimir flew off into a nearby tree. He stretched his wings before they finally disappeared. He pulled a cigar from out of nowhere and lit it up...only to start hacking as he inhaled the smoke, curse these child-like lungs!

"Hey, Vlad!"

Vladimir perked up as he heard his name being called, he wasn't sure where the voice was coming from, but he knew it was coming from The Devil.

"Why were you asking that Mug to fight me? Weren't you supposed to try and grab his soul?"

"What fun would it be if I took it now?" Vladimir replied. "And besides, didn't YOU want to be the one to take it from HIM?"

"Well I suppose you're right," The Devil replied. "And on the plus side, I'll be able to get his friends' souls too."

"And there's NO WAY that kid's going to beat you, at least not by himself!"

"But might I ask, what were you doing with that flower's dress in the first place?"

"I was actually hoping that flower would've killed him off," Vladimir said, "but apparently, they wound up becoming good friends. It's a little irritating."

"So why not try and take over HER body?"

"Won't she fight back?"

"She might," The Devil replied."But you SHOULD be able to control her long enough to destroy that mug."

"So how do I go about doing that?"

"Easy," The Devil replied, "Wait until she's asleep, THEN you take over her body!"

"Very well then," Vladimir said in a laid-back tone. "And what do you want me to do with her after I destroy that mug?"

"Give me her contract," The Devil replied. "I'll be taking her soul after the festival, anyway."

"Yes, sir!" Vladimir said obediently. His grin widened, this was going to be more fun than he expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I MIGHT go back to change a few things, but I am a lazy butt who has to get through college.  
> But regardless, I hope you liked this chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something seems off about Patty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not too much going on in this chapter, but I'm glad I could get at least SOME pert of this done.

 

After the group had reunited, Patty led everyone to an underground tunnel towards the edge of town. The walls of the tunnel had doors on each wall, they looked more like apartments than anything.

Patty stopped in front of her door, she pulled out a key and unlocked it. Afterwards, an odd stench came out of it, smelling like rotten fish. Nobody was sure what to make of it, at least until a cat had walked out of the apartment begging for food.

"So...I see that you're also a cat person," Cala said uncomfortably.

"That would explain the stench," Brineybeard replied, "I bet ye spoil this thing with all kinds o' fish!"

"O-of course," Patty replied as she stepped into the house with the cat in her arms. "I'm sorry about the smell...but please, make yourselves at home."

The group began to make their way inside, the home looked like it only had three rooms. The main room had a worn-out couch, a lamp, and a bookshelf. The couch and the bookshelf had bite marks on it, but they didn't look like they came from the cat. The second room was a kitchen with a counter, a large sink, and a fridge. When Dr. Kahl opened the fridge, there was nothing but meat. The scientist raised an eyebrow. "Why do you have so much meat in here?"

Patty stammered as she put the cat down and rushed over to the kitchen. "Th-that's mostly for my cat. But if you want, I could try to cook you something with it."

Dr. Kahl slowly closed the fridge. Petunias weren't carnivorous, and three cats wouldn't need THAT much meat...so why did Patty have so much of it? Perhaps she was a hybrid flower? Or maybe she simply bought too much for her cat. Either way, it was strange.

Meanwhile, Elder Kettle placed Mugman onto the couch. The young mug grabbed a torn pillow as if it were a teddy bear. He was relieved that Mugman was safe, but he couldn't imagine how it must've felt to be taken by the same fiend that kidnapped Cuphead.

"How's he doin', Thomas?" Brineybeard asked loudly.

"He's doin' just fine," Elder Kettle responded. "For the most part, anyway."

"Well if he doesn't wake up soon, we'll just use Cala's horrible voice to wake him up."

"I think you mean YOUR horrible voice," Cala teased.

"...Maybe you're right, I'd be sparing the lad your horrible singing!"

Cala pouted, as she was unable to think of a good remark. "Well...your voice still sucks!"

"Oh, would you two knock it off?!" Elder Kettle yelled. "I swear, you're even worse than my grandkids!"

The duo looked away bitterly. Patty looked around from outside the kitchen. "H-hey, how about you two help me with dinner?" she offered. Brineybeard headed into the kitchen with Cala held onto the Octopus on her head. Elder Kettle gave her a thumbs up before she headed back into the kitchen. He remained by Mugman's side. He felt that if Mugman needed anything, he would have to be the one to stay with him. Of course...given the odd smell in the house, he was suprised that the young mug hasn't stirred once.

 

* * *

 

Mugman finally began to wake up, he stretched as hard as he could. He couldn't tell what time it was, and unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any watches anywhere. When he looked around, he saw that Elder Kettle, Captain Brineybeard, and Dr. Kahl were all asleep. On the ground, there was a bowl of stew. Mugman picked the bowl up from off the ground and started eating. It was cold, but he didn't mind. After all, he needed to eat something. As soon as he was done, he walked into the kitchen and placed the bowl onto the counter. When he looked at the sink, he saw that Cala Maria was sleeping. The octopus had its tentacles draped over her face.

Mugman continued to walk around, he noticed that in the other room, there was a light. He walked inside, he saw that Patty was washing a dress inside a bucket. She looked exhausted, but she greeted Mugman with a warm smile.

"Oh, Mugman!" Patty exclaimed. "How was your nap?"

"Um...Fine, I guess?" Mugman said, confused. "I don't even remember taking a nap." And yet he COULD remember that he had to beat The Devil in order to get Cuphead back. Still, Vladimir seamed pretty sketchy. Mugman hardly even said anything in that void before passing out again.

"Say, Mugman," Patty said quietly, "Do you mind talking to me for a bit?"

"Not at all, ma'am," Mugman said as he sat down next to her. "Um...so where did you find that dress?"

"Your sea-bound friends found it for me," Patty replied. "In fact, Cala was wearing it when she found it."

"Well at least you got it back," Mugman replied. "I was getting kinda worried."

"By the way," Patty said, "Your grandfather was talking to me about your adventures on Inkwell."

"I know, I heard it on the radio." Mugman said bitterly.

"A-anyway, I've been meaning to ask you...What was it like having to free everyone?"

"Huh?"

"I mean...after you collected all of those contracts, what was it like when you burned them all?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, my brother and I were only doing it for ourselves...Or at least we did at first. But as we kept going, we wanted to find a way to free everyone."

"So how were you able to do that?"

"Cuphead had to take him down," Mugman replied, "We really didn't have a choice."

"And why do you say that?"

"Because after Cuphead made that bet, we were told that we'd be free if we gathered everyone's contracts. And if we didn't, The Devil would go after us instead. So we gathered as many of them as possible. But when we finally reached The Devil, he asked us to join him in the underworld."

"Well THAT doesn't sound very good!" Patty said horrified. "What happened after that?"

"Cuphead was FURIOUS," Mugman replied. "He didn't want me to pay for his mistake, and he didn't want anyone else to to be trapped down there either. His only option was to fight back," Mugman yawned as he began to play with the fringes on his scarf, "I was worried that if Cuphead died, The Devil would come after me next. And after me, he'd go after the rest of Inkwell...But Cuphead won, and we were able to free everyone. Ever since then, all of those folks that we fought became our very close friends...Heck, I'd even say that they're family."

"It sounds like you two have been through a lot," Patty said quietly. She put her dress down as she stood up. "Mugman...I know you're trying to save your brother, but there is one more favor that I need you to do."

"Oh, of course!" Mugman said, "What do you need?"

Patty walked over to her cat's bed and pulled out a document, she handed it over to Mugman. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, his eyes sparkled like a pair of rubies. "This is-"

"Yes...It's my soul contract," Patty admitted. "When you go back to Inkwell, do you think you could burn this for me?"

"Of course," Mugman said without hesitation. "But...why would you need this in the first place?"

Patty looked away shamefully. "Well, let's just say that the flowers here wouldn't take too kindly to forest plants like myself."

"Really?" Mugman asked curiously, "What kind of plants do they have in that forest?"

"Oh, you know," Patty replied. "They have trees, vines, and...flowers that smell like the dead."

"What?"

"Um...Nevermind," Patty said as she sat back down and started washing her dress again. "Since you're finally awake, why don't you go take a walk? I'm sure you'd love to see the town before you guys leave."

"Um...OK?" Mugman said awkwardly as he left the room. He grabbed the map out of Brineybeard's pocket and headed outside. After Mugman left, Patty continued to wash out her dress. She was hopeful that the rotten fish smell would be gone, but no matter how much she washed the dress, the smell would not go away. She looked back into the living room. She wanted to tell everyone the truth, she really did. But she worried that if she reveal herself, it would just end badly. Perhaps it was best if they figured it out for themselves.

A little more time had passed, Patty was beginning to dose off. She crossed her arms over the bucket and quietly fell asleep. Surely, everything would turn out all right.

 

* * *

 

While Mugman was speaking to Patty, Vladimir had been standing outside of the window. He had left Cuphead's body leaning against a nearby tree, hidden behind the bushes where nobody could find it. He watched as Patty handed Mugman her contract, he's watched as she asked him to burn it as soon as he went back to Inkwell. His first thought was to attack the young mug again, but he figured that it shouldn't matter. After all, that contract was going to The Devil one way or another.

As soon as Mugman had left, Patty had fallen asleep. This was Vladimir's chance to possess her. He quietly opened the window and crawled into the room, he was careful not to touch the cat that was under the window. He got closer, Patty hadn't moved at all. Finally, the bat spread his wings out and engulfed the flower, taking over her body. While her consciousness was tucked away, her body began to change form. Quickly, the bat-turned-flower shuffled out of the room and into the living room. As he left, Dr. Kahl began to awaken. He caught a glimpse of what looked like vines, the smell of rotting flesh had gotten even stronger.

Dr. Kahl sat up quickly, "EVERYONE WAKE UP!"

"Not now, doctor," Brineybeard said drowsily. Dr. Kahl tugged at his arm. "BUT IT'S SERIOUS!"

When that wasn't working, he ran over to Elder Kettle and tugged at his scarf. "THOMAS, PLEASE! WAKE UP!"

"Wh-what?" Elder Kettle said in suprise. "What's gotten into you?"

"It's Patty, she's-"

"Hold on a moment, where's Mugman?" Brineybeard said as he noticed that Mugman had gone missing.

"What's going on!?" Cala yelled from the other room.

"GAH! I HAVE NO TIME FOR THIS!" Dr. Kahl yelled as he ran out the door. Brineybeard began to follow after him. Elder Kettle ran into the kitchen and allowed Cala to ride inside of him, her head peaked out from his lid. Wherever Mugman was, they hoped that he was going to be OK.

 

* * *

 

 

Mugman was walking through town with a half-eaten candy bar in his hand, he watched as people would make their way across town. Like earlier, he would receive odd looks from the residents here. However, it was probably because nobody else his age would be out this late. And besides being dishfolk from Inkwell, he didn't stand out too much from anybody else.

Mugman looked up as he finished his candy bar. The lights here made it hard to see at the stars, which was one of the reasons why Cuphead would sneak out at night in the first place. He supposed that it didn't really matter, as the town was bathed in warm autumn hues to begin with.

The young mug sat on a nearby fountain, he pulled out the contract that Patty had given him. When he unrolled the contract, he noticed something unusual.

"Patty Rafflesia?" Mugman asked quietly. He had never seen a rafflesia himself, but from what he had heard, they were the biggest flowers in the world...and the deadliest. But Patty didn't look anything like a rafflesia, perhaps she was related to one? He wasn't quite sure.

Mugman put the paper into his back pack, he'd have to worry about it when he got home. However, he began to notice the folks around him running away in fear, he wasn't quite sure what was going on.

"Wh-why is everybody running?!" Mugman yelled in confusion. Suddenly, the air began to smell like rotten flesh. The stench was so strong, Mugman couldn't help but gag. He began to hear footsteps, each step was louder tham the last. In the distance, he could see a huge flower-like creature with fleshy pink petals and a body made of vines.

Mugman's eyes widened in fear, that thing was quickly running after him. Even if he ran, there was no way he could get away from it.


End file.
